Output is data that has been processed into useful form, now called Information
Types of Output
printed copy gif
Hard copy:
printed on paper or other permanent media
screen display gif
Soft copy:
displayed on screen or by other non-permanent means
Categories of Output
chart gif
multimedia - sound and graphics
Text documents including reports, letters, etc.
Graphics
charts, graphs, pictures
Multimedia
combination of text, graphics, video, audio
The most used means of Output are the printer and the computer screen. Let's look at the features of each.
PRINTER
The job of a printer is to put on paper what you see on your monitor. How easy this is to do and how successfully it is done determines whether or not you are happy with your printer choice. Monitor screens and printers do not use the same formatting rules. In the olden days of computers, the way something looked on the screen could be VERY different from how it would look when printed. Early word processors didn't have a way to show what the printed version would look like. Now a word processor that doesn't have print preview, would be laughed off the shelf. Most have a WYSIWYG view, where you see almost exactly what the document will look like in print, while you are still working on it.
How fast?
The speed of a printer is measured in:
cps
= characters per second
lpm
= lines per minute
ppm
= pages per minute
The faster the printing, the more expensive the printer.
Speed gif
What paper type used?
Continuous-Form Paper
continuous paper gif
Advantage:
Don’t need to put in new paper often
Disadvantage:
May need to separate the pages and remove the strips of perforations
Single Sheet
single page gif
Advantage:
Can change to special paper easily, like letterhead or envelopes
Disadvantage:
Must add paper more often
What print quality?
LQ
Letter Quality =
as good as best typewriter output
NLQ
Near Letter Quality =
nearly as good as best typewriter output
Draft
used internally or for a test print
The better the quality, the slower the printing.
A more numerical measure of print quality is printer resolution. Measured in dots per inch (dpi), this determines how smooth a diagonal line the printer can produce. A resolution of 300 dpi will produce text that shows jagged edges only under a magnifying glass. A lower resolution than this will produce text with stair-step edges, especially at large sizes. Even higher resolutions are needed to get smooth photo reproduction. Professionals in graphics use 1200 to 2400 dpi printers.
What will it print?
Printers vary in what varieties of type they can print. You must know the limits of your printer to avoid unhappy surprises!
Typeface
Set of letters, numbers, and special characters with similar design
Sample fonts
Styles
Bold, italic, underlined...
Size
Measured in points
One point = 1/72 of an inch like: 12 pt 18 pt24 pt 36 pt
Use 10 or 12 pt for writing a letter or report.
Font
A complete set of letters, etc. in the same typeface, style, and size
Color
Printing in color takes longer, uses more expensive inks/toner, looks best on more expensive papers, but can add a lot to the quality of the output
Graphics
Pictures add a lot to a document, but not all printers can print graphics.
painter's palette with various colors
Input Devices
Input
Processing
Output
Storage
Circle of 4 arrows
Everything we tell the computer is Input.
Types of Input
Data is the raw facts given to the computer. Programs are the sets of instructions that direct the computer. Commands are special codes or key words that the user inputs to perform a task, like RUN "ACCOUNTS". These can be selected from a menu of commands like "Open" on the File menu. They may also be chosen by clicking on a command button. User response is the user's answer to the computer's question, such as choosing OK, YES, or NO or by typing in text, for example the name of a file.
Keyboard
The first input device we will look at is the Keyboard.
IBM keyboard
ergonomic keyboard
POINTING DEVICES
A variety of pointing devices are used to move the cursor on the screen. The most commonly used ones have two or three buttons to click and for special functions.
Mouse
A ball underneath rolls as the mouse moves across the mouse pad. The cursor on the screen follows the motion of the mouse. Buttons on the mouse can be clicked or double-clicked to perform tasks, like to select an icon on the screen or to open the selected document.
There are new mice that don't have a ball. They use a laser to sense the motion of the mouse instead. High tech!
Microsoft Mouse
Logitech MouseMan
Advantage:
Moves cursor around the screen faster than using keystrokes.
Disadvantage:
Requires moving hand from keyboard to mouse and back.
Repeated motion can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome
Trackball
Instead of moving the whole mouse around, the user rolls the trackball only, which is on the top or side.
trackball
trackball
Advantage:
Does not need as much desk space as a mouse.
Is not as tiring since less motion is needed.
Disadvantage:
Requires fine control of the ball with just one finger or thumb.
Repeated motions of the same muscles is tiring and can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
What is Output?==
==Input
Processing
Output
Storage
Types of Output
printed on paper or other permanent media
displayed on screen or by other non-permanent means
Categories of Output
charts, graphs, pictures
combination of text, graphics, video, audio
The most used means of Output are the printer and the computer screen. Let's look at the features of each.
PRINTER
The job of a printer is to put on paper what you see on your monitor. How easy this is to do and how successfully it is done determines whether or not you are happy with your printer choice. Monitor screens and printers do not use the same formatting rules. In the olden days of computers, the way something looked on the screen could be VERY different from how it would look when printed. Early word processors didn't have a way to show what the printed version would look like. Now a word processor that doesn't have print preview, would be laughed off the shelf. Most have a WYSIWYG view, where you see almost exactly what the document will look like in print, while you are still working on it.How fast?
What paper type used?
What print quality?
What will it print?
Printers vary in what varieties of type they can print. You must know the limits of your printer to avoid unhappy surprises!One point = 1/72 of an inch like: 12 pt 18 pt 24 pt 36 pt
Use 10 or 12 pt for writing a letter or report.
Input
Processing
Output
Storage
Everything we tell the computer is Input.
Types of Input
Data is the raw facts given to the computer.Programs are the sets of instructions that direct the computer.
Commands are special codes or key words that the user inputs to perform a task, like RUN "ACCOUNTS". These can be selected from a menu of commands like "Open" on the File menu. They may also be chosen by clicking on a command button.
User response is the user's answer to the computer's question, such as choosing OK, YES, or NO or by typing in text, for example the name of a file.
Keyboard
The first input device we will look at is the Keyboard.
POINTING DEVICES
A variety of pointing devices are used to move the cursor on the screen. The most commonly used ones have two or three buttons to click and for special functions.There are new mice that don't have a ball. They use a laser to sense the motion of the mouse instead. High tech!
Repeated motion can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome
Is not as tiring since less motion is needed.
Repeated motions of the same muscles is tiring and can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
Watch this short video and do the activity.
http://www.abcya.com/input_output.htm